How to Choose the Right Breeder

Once you have decided that you want to adopt a dog, the next step will obviously be to decide where you are going to buy it from. While pet shops are the most common and easily available points of purchase, the discerning buyer will rather go in search of a breeder.

In fact, choosing the right breeder precedes choosing the right pup. The reputable breeder knows his or her pups better than anyone and can best match a pup's personality and abilities with an owner's personality and expectations.

So how do you set about finding the right breeder, the one who will be able to fix you up with a puppy who is healthy and in sync with your personality?

Well, the first thing you should do is start enquiring from other pet owners in your area. A satisfied dog owner is your best guarantee to the quality of a breeder. Ask around and you are sure to be able to obtain the name of one or more reputable breeders.

Other than from owners, you are likely to get valuable inputs from the local kennel club. Obviously, this is where dog owners will congregate and you will get advice from the horse's mouth. Nobody can give you more cogent advice than someone who has been through the process. And, being a kennel club, the members are certain to be dog lovers who could pass on other tips to you as well.

These two suggestions apart, the local veterinarian is also likely to be a big help in your search for the right breeder. After all, he is the one who has the best idea about the dogs of the neighborhood - which have turned out well and which haven't. And consequently, he will be in the know of which breeders have been able to supply high quality dogs and who have supplied inferior types.

Also, he will know if a particular breeder is ethical in his dealings and would be prepared to replace the puppy or refund your money if any genetically-linked illness occurs at any time during the animal's life.

But above all, you should do some homework on your own before you go and meet a breeder. Know something about the breed you're interested in so that you will be able to discuss the various aspects of the adoption process with the breeder rather than accepting everything he says at face value. And the dialogue will become more meaningful for you if you know the basics of what he is talking about.

Don't have all your discussions with the breeder off-site. You should visit the kennel in which he keeps his dogs.

Ensure that the kennel is clean and doesn't smell foul. If you find that the breeder has a very large number of dogs and puppies kept in his kennels, beware! He may be what is known as a backyard breeder.

A backyard breeder is someone who breeds because they believe their dog needs to have a litter to "feel complete"or because they want to make a quick buck. They may be breeding dogs that are purchased from good breeders, but they are usually breeding dogs without a lot of knowledge about breeding.

When you go to meet the breeder, insist on seeing the whole litter and at least one of the parents. Examine the litter and the parent carefully to ensure that they at least look healthy.

Needless to say, you will have to do your homework in respect of the health of the puppy and have him thoroughly checked out by a vet but, for starters, a quick visual examination will give you an idea of the type of puppies the breeder is trying to sell to you.

Has he been feeding them well? Has he been looking after their health? A good look will give you some measure of reassurance about the quality of the breeder's animals.

An important point to be also noted is whether the puppies appear to be afraid of the breeder. That could be an eye-opener for you about the treatment that is being meted out at that particular breeder's kennel.

While you are at the breeder's place, you should ask him to provide references. Don't feel embarrassed about this. You are in the process of bringing a dog home - an animal who is going to be your companion for all it's life. Surely you owe it to yourself to check out whether the breeder has given satisfaction in the past. So go ahead and ask and call the references given.

It may require some effort to find a breeder with whom you feel comfortable, but the time you spend finding the right breeder will be time well spent in the long run. You need to find a match for yourself. It's like finding a doctor. You need to find somebody you can communicate with, and who communicates well with you, and who's going to be a support even after you bring your dog home.

How to Choose the Right Breeder?